ACCLIMATISATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17032, 4 May 1923, Page 7

ACCLIMATISATION.

WORK IN CANTERBURY. RECORD FINANCIAL YEAR. The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has had a record year financially. ‘ This is no doufc't due to the returns from tbe sale of game licenses —it was the first year that a fee has been charged for a native game license, says the annual report to be presented on Mav 14. “ The amount of £317 derived from the sale of deer-stalking licenses includes the sum of £132 3s. received from the Postal Department, being fees received by them for licenses issued for the 1922 season. The amount received from the Treasury Department for fines inflicted for breaches of the Fisheries and Game Acts amounted to £66 13s. being treble the amount received from this source the previous year. This speaks volumes for our new Ranger. .1. Digby. The sales from the gardens amounted to about the same as received under this heading last year. We showed a fairly substantial profit from the sale of swan eggs, although the quantity collected was not up to what was expected by the committee. Altogether the society is in a sound financial position, as the assets show. The amount received from the sale of fishing licenses this year was £876 17s 6d being £l4 os in excess of what was received through this department the previous year.” STATE OF RIVERS. Dealing with rivers, the report says: Rakia —The fishing in this river was disappointing earlier in the season, possibly on account of the continual discolouration or the river. Since the salmon have been running, some verygood bags have been taken. SelwynThe fishing in the Selwyn was very good in the earlier part of the season, and a lot of fish were caught in the lake at the mouth of the liver. The upper reaches of the Selwyn have also provided good fly fishing. Selwyn No. 2 Some very fine fly fishing has been provided in this stream during the season. Waimakniriri—The trout fishing was good in this river at the commencement of the season, and since the salmon have been running some very fine bags have been caught. Cam. and North Branch of Waimakariri- The fishing in these streams was not up to the average. Ashley— There has been good all-round fishing jn this river during the season. Hurunui Some good bags of trout were taken in this river, and also salmon in the latter part of the season. SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT. The garden committee state: - * The Rainbow stripping from the ponds in the Gardens yielded 81,000. These fish were in a poor condition, and b arely 50 per cent of the ova proved fertile. With this in view the committee would strongly recommend that, as soon as possible, the council obtain, says, 25.000 Rainbow ova for a change of stock. A very interesting experiment was carried out by the curator during the season in the hybridisation of Rainbow (Salmo irideus) and Brown Trout (.Salmo farin'), We understand that on only rare occasions has the experiment anywhere proved successful, in so far that the egg’s hatched out. This year about 5 per cent of the eggs proved fertile, and when hatched many were deformed. There were about five perfect fish, and these showed considerable activity in growth for some little time, when for some unaccountable reason they died off one by one. Tt was a, noticeable feature that the last surviving fish reverted to the Rainbow more than to the Brown. Experiments will be carried out again this year, which we trust will prove more successfU' A Canadian geese are increasing rapidly. and large numbers have been seen in various parts of the district. A number hare been distributed throughout North Canterbury this year, and should only be a question now of a few years before we shall be able to have an open season for these birds. “ Work is well in band in the gardens at present. The stock includes: - Silver Pheasants. 12; English Pheasant, 1; Canadian Geese. 12: Black Teal, 2; Angora Goats. 2: Rainlx>w, 3- 500: Rainbow. 2-year-olds. 600; Rainbow, yearlings 1000. THE HERDS. “ There were twenty-four licenses issued for the Rakaia herd this season, and from the reports to hand there has been good sport, ami several good heads have been obtained. There are, however, still a number of stalkers who have not sent in their reports, also several, who have not returned froiv the forest, so that no accurate recor/: can be given of the number of heads shot or their measurements. Several fourteen, sixteen and eighteen-point heads were secured between Manuka Point and Dnnean's Creek, the most notable being a head found by Mr Trolove. evidently shot some years ago, showing wonderful growth and remark able brow tines measuring twenty inches, with a spread of forty inches and length of forty and a half inches. The reports show that there are far too uiawv small and inferior heads in portions of this forest, particularly between Manuka and Totara Points and from Blacksmith’s Point to the head ot the Mathias. Consideration in the mat ter of culling is urgently needed in these parts, if the high standard am* characteristics of this herd are to be maintained. Steps in this direction uimnlil lie taken this confine spring.